It didn’t stop there. The project you were assigned to was due today, but two of your co-workers didn’t finish their part and pinned the blame on you. Your boss called you into the office and gave you a long lecture before threatening to demote you. You didn’t get a lunch break either. Amidst the chaos, Rindou called you to check in, and you had to lie to him that you were doing okay. By the end of the day, all you wanted to do was go home, curl on the bed, and cry yourself to sleep.

“Finally,” you kicked open the front door to your apartment and dragged your feet in. Not caring about making a mess, you dropped your handbag and workbag on the floor but froze when the sweet smell of freshly made cookies tickled your nose. “Cookies?”

“Are you hungry?” An equally sweet voice called from the kitchen.

“Rindou?” You squealed in surprise. How did you not notice your boyfriend standing in the kitchen? Maybe you were even more exhausted than you realized. “What are you doing here?”

He forced a smile, the corners of his mouth barely turning upwards. His worried eyes scanned her face as you walked closer to him. “When I called to ask how your day was, you sounded tired,” he spoke softly, his words hushed and careful as if they were made of glass. He watched as your expression changed ever so slightly before returning to its neutral position.

So, he figured you were lying to him. Feeling guilty, you sighed, “Rindou, I’m so-“

“It’s okay. I know you didn’t want me to worry. Go freshen up. Everything will be ready by the time you are out,” he smiled warmly.

“Y-Yeah.” You nodded and quickly headed to your bathroom to find a bath drawn for you with your favorite scented candles decorating the area around the tub. On the edge of the tub was a note with a box of bath-bombs, “Enjoy your bath but don’t take too long. Otherwise, dinner will get cold.”

“Oh, Rindou…”

Once you were ready, you walked out of your room and were hit with the familiar delicious aroma of food from your favorite restaurant. Was this a date?

Rindou pulled back one of the dining table chairs and motioned you to sit down. “Shall we eat, my dear princess?”

As you enjoyed the food, you told him about your day, and he quietly listened. “I can’t thank you enough for this Rindou. I would have cried myself to sleep if it weren’t for you.”

“You are a strong woman, and I’m proud of you for making it through the day,” he softly said.

You stared at him for a moment before whispering, “Sometimes I wonder what I did to deserve someone like you.”

His shoulders tensed while his cheeks slowly turned red. “I…am lucky to have you in my life.”

As you giggled at his words, your eyes fell on the clock on the wall behind him. “Hey, today is…wait, Rindou. Don’t you have work today? You’re going to be late!”

“I won’t,” he smiled. “I asked Sinju to cover my shift today.”

“Why?” You gasped.

“I could tell you weren’t having a good day and didn’t want you to be alone.”

Lucky was an understatement to describe how you felt. You managed to find a man who not only understood you but also wanted to do what he can to keep you happy. Not to mention, he was handsome and talented. You were floating on cloud nine.